


The Beginning of the End

by livelovelaw



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, with some OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-02-28 18:24:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13277265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livelovelaw/pseuds/livelovelaw
Summary: When Snoke died, Kylo Ren thought that he could be his own man – free from his cruel clutches and manipulation. But he was wrong. Snoke may be dead, but the Supreme Leader was wise and planned it all, to the extent of making sure that the Skywalker bloodline would continue and remain in the dark side forever.





	1. Prologue

Prologue: Crait

The end of the Resistance was drawing near. The battle of Crait left them defenseless, with no other resources left other an old garbage ship known as the Millennium Falcon. Because of the ship’s distinct features, it was easy to report whether it was moving throughout the galaxy. A couple of payments to the right people and the Order would soon obliterate the last of the rebel members.

But the galaxy was quiet. Even though there was a lot of bounty money moving around, there was no sight of the Falcon, nor any of the traitors that have been identified. The First Order was at a loss, and General Hux, the head of the military arm of the Order, was more than happier at the events that have transpired. He has seen to it that everything that the new Supreme Leader does would end up in failure. But the General wasn’t wise. Sure, he had a good command of his armies, but the Supreme Leader knew his enemies. He hated them to his core, and would do anything to remove them from the face of the galaxy. 

Kylo Ren walked around the old rebel base on Crait. After Rey left him and disconnected their connection in Crait, the new Supreme Leader was left with nothing but hate. He would have channeled that emotion against everything. He could throw a tantrum, cut down a stormtrooper or even destroy the now empty rebel base, but he knew better now. His unruly fit of rage caused the rebels to escape. The sight of Skywalker made him lose his cool. He wasn’t wise enough to think that it was only a diversion, but it will never happen again. He is the Supreme Leader, and he can longer act like a child. So, Kylo Ren, in the essence of his own maturity, for the first time, properly channeled the hate and rage to the rebels. 

Upon the orders of General Hux, stormtroopers flocked the base. He ordered them to find where the rebels escaped. Ren stayed silent as he knew the general’s attempts were futile. They were already gone. He saw it, right when the Rey closed the doors of the Falcon in his face. So he stayed inside the communications room, staring at the powered equipment. 

It didn’t take an expert to see what the rebels were trying to do. A distress signal was sent from the base, one which was received on multiple points, but never answered. Still, the machine whirred and beeped silently, still sending out signals. Every signal sent used the same password, and the cycle went on and on. The password was coded, but utterly familiar. He knew these words, it was a phrase his mother used to say to him when he was a child. It was an old language programmed for a now extinct droid. 

“I love you, cookie.” The machine kept beeping its droid language. 

“Mother…” The words escaped his lips, but it was too low for anyone to hear. Ren felt his heart beat fast for a moment. His mother was alive and well, and even for a short moment, he was thankful. But the emotion was fleeting, he wished he never knew that his mother lived. It was easier to think that she died in that cruiser. 

“Master.” A mechanical voice said, distracting Kylo Ren from further thinking of his mother.

“Anita.” He called for the owner of the voice. Anita Ren, a member of the esteemed Knights of Ren, walked towards her master. Although a foot shorter than Kylo, she stood tall and proud. She wore the same mask and black robes as his master, but distinctively wore two sabers on her waist. Anita was known to be one of Kylo Ren most loyal followers. She had been with him in jedi training, and even at the end, she followed him to the dark side. 

“These signals. I need you to trace them.” He ordered her.

“Yes master.” She replied obediently. “And after the trace?” She continued.

“Kill them all.” Her master said.


	2. Long Live the Supreme Leader

The Empire burned to the ground after the battle of Jakku. The once powerful Empire, now disgraced, had to sign a pathetic treaty in order to keep the peace in the galaxy. Soon, the fallen empire’s sympathizers thought of rebuilding their former glory, hence, the rise of the First Order.

Starting from almost nothing, the First Order rose from the Unknown Regions of the galaxy. A military junta, creating a new legacy of the dark side. Its head of state, known as the Supreme Leader, is the most power being in the galaxy. That was until he died in the hands of a jedi girl. Now, the First Order rules under the leadership of a young man named Kylo Ren. This did not sit well with the other members of the Order, especially when the boy acquired power in the easiest way. The First Order Council would dare not sit in abeyance while this child rule the galaxy. They must do something about it, one way or another.

\----

Kylo Ren stood tall and proud inside the ship’s elevator. It has already been two months since he became the de facto leader of the First Order, but now is the time to prove his worth, and this, was to be decided by the First Order’s Council. 

Kylo Ren sighed as he exited the elevator, the sound of his breath muffled under his mask. Politics bore him. All they do is talk and resolve issues in the most diplomatic way. If diplomacy was the answer, then there would be no need for lightsabers nor blasters. 

The council room fell silent as Kylo Ren entered it. Its members positioned in a semi-circle, their seats towering over him. Ren felt his surroundings. The Council was seemed disturbed by his presence. Most of them, unsure of whether he is worthy to be Supreme Leader. Never mind that during the first month of his leadership, allies of the Resistance from the outer rim of the galaxy were obliterated. The plan was simple, renounce the Resistance or face death, and for those planets, they choose the former. But for Kylo Ren, the choice has always been death. 

But despite his prowess and skill in commanding the Order, he was still unsatisfactory for the Council. “It has come to our knowledge that Supreme Leader Snoke was murdered by a Jedi girl.” One of them said. Ren stared the man who stated those words. He was wrinkly and unpleasant to look at, but not as ugly as Snoke. He was wearing a dark robe, one whose color was like that of dried blood. “And how did such murderous snake get her hands on the Supreme Leader?” The council member continued his interrogation. 

“I brought her under Supreme Leader Snoke’s instructions.” He said in spite, suppressing the anger which was brought about by the mention of the Jedi girl. “He thought he could turn the girl.” Kylo Ren explained as calmly as he could, pausing, if ever the council members would interrupt him with unnecessary questions. 

“And she killed the Supreme Leader, the Elite Praetorian Guards, and managed to injure you? All by herself?” Another member said. Ren could feel the Force warp around the member. He was doubting him, Ren thought. 

“Yes.” Ren obediently replied. His answer caused the members of the council to be in disarray. 

“I’d say she got some help.” The oldest council member roared. They started murmuring amongst themselves, but all the same, Ren could hear what they were talking about. They think he helped her kill the Supreme Leader. 

The council was in chaos. They were suspicious of him. “General Hux stated that you’ve always disobeyed your master, even when his orders were absolute. Running around on your own, taking your personal interests before the order. I’d say we try you for high treason!” The old member hissed. Ren stood his ground, his nose flaring in anger underneath his mask. General Hux had always been a blood sucking tick, one that should have been removed from the start. 

“You’re not worthy to be Supreme Leader!” Another said. Soon, everyone in the council room had the same opinion. Ren tried to calm himself down, but his rage was boiling in his body, struggling to get out. He will kill every council member who thinks he’s not worthy. Hell, he might kill every single one of them. After which, he will board The Legacy and get rid of Hux once and for all. Kylo Ren slowly slid his foot to the back. He was ready to proceed to his plan --- eliminate everyone who would hinder him from ruling the galaxy.

“Snoke underestimated the Jedi girl and the light.” Another member calmly said. Ren turned his gaze towards the voice. It was of a woman’s, and basing on her appearance, she couldn’t be older than him. She had eyes like that of a bird of prey – golden and sharp. Her eyes moved to meet Kylo Ren’s. Her smile, sly, under her blood red lips. 

Underneath his mask, Kylo Ren looked at the woman in utter confusion. He felt the room’s energy when he entered, and the force surrounding the council members felt tumultuous towards him. No one was happy that Supreme Leader Snoke was dead, nor they were pleased that a kid was taking over the military junta they started. There was nobody in his side, he was dead sure of it. 

“A man who underestimates the power of the light is not fit to be Supreme Leader, isn’t that right, Kylo Ren?” The woman smiled at him. 

Ren stayed silent, but his body began to tense up as he felt her – he felt her inside him. This woman before him, she was trying to get inside his head. Ren fought against the intrusion of his mind. He glared at her with pure, raw rage, one that was so powerful and terrifying that the council members physically felt horror in their seats. Now, everyone showed their fear of him. Everyone, except her. She kept grinning at her seat, enjoying the sight of him using the dark side of the force. 

Soon enough, however, the intrusion disappeared. She clasped her hands together and placed them on her chin, her gaze never leaving Kylo Ren’s. “But you understand it… You know how it feels to be betrayed by the light.” She continued.

Still, Ren provided no answers.

“I’d say he is worthy as our new Supreme Leader.” She convincingly said. 

“Are you out of your mind? A man with questionable loyalty?” The oldest member of the council roared. “He’s not fit --” The council member began to choke. He was breathing heavily, trying to claw out the invisible hand that was constricting his throat. 

Ren knew where the force choke was coming from. It was from her, and even though he enjoyed the sight of the old man choking, he stood proud and defiant at the woman who’s doing the deed. He does not need any help.

Finally, the poor fellow fell lifeless on his seat. Ren observed the rest of the council members, and waited for them to react on what she has done. He waited for the blame game, but no one dared to do or say anything.

Using the force, the woman dragged the dead old man away from his seat and let his corpse roll at Kylo Ren’s feet. “Any other who wants to share their opinions?” She said, surprising him.

No one dared to speak what’s on their mind. “Long live Supreme Leader Ren.” One of them whispered. Soon, others followed in unison.

“Long live Supreme Leader Ren.”

\----

The Millennium Falcon landed rather roughly on some unchartered planet. After years of being abandoned in a junkyard in Jakku, the light freighter was beginning to show its age. Unusual metal clanks and turbulences verily disturbed its passengers. While such is the fact, those aboard were thankful that the ship did not breakdown in the middle of the galaxy. 

It was probably the fifth solar system they visited when finally, General Organa was satisfied that this planet in the outermost rim of the galaxy was the safest place for them to re-establish the Resistance. Most of the previous planets they visited were abandoned Rebel Alliance and Resistance bases, where they salvaged whatever equipment they could. Poe and Finn took several trips back forth on those planets to commandeer several starfighters. While they acquired more than what they expected, the problem was there were no people to pilot them. The remaining members of the Resistance had a lot of problems, but everyone was too tired to solve them in one day. If anyone was enthusiastic, it was the porgs that found an unusual habitation inside the Falcon. 

Their first night in UXO – 9195921 was rather quiet. The members were sleeping soundly inside their own quarters, or just lying around on some part of the ship. Everyone, except Rey. She was tired like everyone else, but sleep won’t come to her. 

Most of her nights were restless. She was always on the edge and on the guard for something she couldn’t see. During these restless nights, she comes up with theories: Maybe, the paranoia was about Kylo Ren. She didn’t want to see him, and her fear of him suddenly appearing inside her mind made her keep her guard up. But deep in her heart, she wasn’t afraid to see him. Sure, she was angry at him, but she wanted to talk. She wanted to understand.

The second was her fears of the night were never hers from the beginning. It was his. For some reason unknown to her, Kylo Ren was restless, on the edge, and on guard for something he could not see. And Rey feeling the same as him made her afraid. Not because she knew that their connection with each other was deeper than she thought, but she was afraid for him. What made Kylo so restless, she wanted to know. But the force had been so viciously silent for the last two months, so there was nothing she could do. Despite of everything, deep in her heart, she hoped that he was fine. But at night, she prayed that he’d be the one to tell her that everything is going to be alright.

Rey sighed on her bed, she’s still not sleepy. Instead of forcing a slumber, she decided to make use of her time, probably until her body pleads that she gets some rest.

Rey quietly tiptoed towards the lower part of the ship. Soon, she was distracted by a light coming from one of the rooms. There was somebody else who could not get some sleep. Slowly, Rey walked towards the light and found the general sitting at the side of a bed. Rey figured that the sleeping quarters belonged to Han Solo. After his death, nobody dared to touch his room. They left it as it is, making it a sad memoir of what they lost. 

Leia Organa glanced at the open door where Rey stood. The young jedi was supposed to knock, but the general already knew that she was there. Leia invited her in and asked her to sit beside her.

Rey reluctantly honored the general’s request. She did not want to intrude during her silent moments, but at the same time she did not want to disappoint her. Rey sat silently beside her. For the first few seconds, they remained quiet in their seats. The force surrounding the general was sad and longing, and Rey felt the same feeling as her.

“I miss them.” The general said melancholically as she looked at a photo pinned on the wall of Han’s quarters.

Rey placed her glance to where the picture was. It was an old photo of the Solo family. The child in the middle was a portrait of Ben. Han’s arm was on top of his son’s head, while Leia was smiling sweetly beside her son. The sight was unfamiliar to Rey. First off, Leia and Han were younger in the picture, but there was something else.

Slowly, Rey stood from her seat to get a closer look. Ben was probably around ten years old when the photo was taken. And unlike his usual ensemble as Kylo Ren, he was wearing a dirty white robe, with a small brown belt surrounding his waist. Rey stared at Ben’s face which made her eyebrows furrow in amusement. Everything about him in this photo was different, yet, it was the same. 

His eyes were the same set of jet black orbs she knew, yet, they were softer, more innocent… less dark. The chiseled jaw that she remembered was softer, and his hair back then was still long and black, but it was curlier and messier – a sight which made Rey chuckle. 

Rey could see his resemblance to Han. Even though he was still young, he looked charismatic and charming like his father. But there was something else in the photo, something she has never seen before: a smile, pure and sweet. The curve of his lips complemented the color of his eyes, brightening his face. There was nothing else to describe it, he looked happy back then. 

Subconsciously, Rey began to slowly reach for Ben’s face. And in that moment, she forgot that Ben Solo was Kylo Ren; she forgot that there was light and darkness; that there was war and the Resistance was on the run. Worse, she forgot that she was angry and disappointed at him. Everything else seemed to vanish into thin air and all she could see was Ben.  
For a second, she dreamt of seeing him again. She prayed to the force that she see him; that Ben would greet her with a sweet smile plastered on his face.

The prayer soon left her lips as soon as it came. Anger covered her whole body. Spite sent shivers down her spine as she remembered that Ben Solo no longer existed. There was only Kylo Ren. But her anger wasn’t all directed at Ren, some of it were directed to herself. She wasn’t able to bring him home. 

“I’m sorry.” Rey silently whimpered, kneeling down to Leia. “I tried to save him. I really did, but he…” She began to choke. She haven’t really told anyone about her connection with Ben. All this time, everyone thought that she was with Luke in the island, training to be a Jedi.

“Oh honey,” Leia whispered as she took Rey’s hands. “There was nothing you could do. You were training with Luke.” She said consoling her.

Rey felt all the more guilty because of Leia’s motherly tone. She kept shaking her head, her silent whimpering grew to a full blown cry. “No.” She said, tears falling down her eyes. “I was with him… in Snoke’s ship…” 

The revelation brought confusion to Leia. “How?” She cried. The general knew that it was a rhetorical question, but she wanted to hear the answers from the young Jedi’s own lips.  
Rey was more than honest to explain why she was with Ben. Aside from the occasional sniffing and crying, Leia was able to understand her narration.

“Ben killed Snoke?!” Leia cried in surprise. Rey could see Leia’s tired gentle eyes light up with hope and joy. She felt that way too, she remembered. When Luke’s lightsaber flew to her hands after it had killed Snoke, Rey felt hopeful too. But the feeling of hope was fleeting, and Leia knew it even before Rey resumed her narration. 

“I thought when he killed Snoke, he already turned. But he asked me to rule the galaxy with him.” Rey whispered as she kept her head down and gritted her teeth in anger. She trusted him, opened up to him, and yet he betrayed her.

“Did you know that Chewie would hide Ben in the Falcon so just he could see his father pilot this old junk? I’d tell you, it caused problems for everyone.” Leia chuckled, trying to change the topic as she felt Rey’s anger through the force. Her anger towards her son was understandable, but it wasn’t just rage that Leia felt. There was a hint of helplessness around Rey, a bit of sadness, and a tremendous amount of longing – a particular longing that was not directed to a friend nor a relative. It was the same longing Leia feels when Han goes to his adventures. It didn’t take for a Jedi practitioner to deduce the force surrounding Rey. Rey had compassion towards her son, and as a woman and a mother, Leia understood.

The new information about Ben did calm the girl down. Rey looked towards Leia, her eyes waiting for her to continue. “Ben was Chewie’s favorite human.” She smiled at Rey.  
Rey chuckled at that. The wookie didn’t tell her anything about his relationship with Ben, and such news was refreshing, but that was all in the past. Ben was gone, he’s no longer coming back.

“Dear child, no one’s really ever gone.” Leia said as if she read what was on Rey’s mind.


	3. The Emperor’s Granddaughter

A familiar sensation radiated through Kylo Ren’s room. He sensed it, but couldn’t figure out whether it was real or if it was a dream. In a half asleep state, Kylo Ren thought it was the latter. Ren groaned as he re-positioned himself, his back had already been aching from sleeping while sitting. He did not mind the pain on his torso nor the discomforting position he was in. All he wanted was to go back to his dream. 

In his dream, Rey was looking at him. Was she angry just like in the forest? Or was she crying just like in the island? He wouldn’t know, as her image was hazy, but he didn’t care even if he couldn’t see her. After a long silence in the force, she’s there. For the first time, Ren appreciated sleep. If he could just see her again, even in his dreams, then he’d rather sleep than rule the galaxy.

But his moment of tranquility was short-lived, the metal mask in his hands fell on the floor. The sound of its impact reverberated throughout his quarters, forcibly ending his slumber. He opened his eyes.

“Boo.” Kylo Ren was greeted by the woman with golden eyes. To the council member’s disappointment, the scaring tactics wasn’t effective against the new Supreme Leader. She rolled her eyes in frustration but returned her gaze back to his eyes.

Ren stared back at her with much displeasure. He had a ton of questions he wanted to ask, like how she got inside his quarters, but Ren was so uncomfortable with their distance. The woman, noticing his uneasiness, went closer, her nose practically touching his.

The staring contest would have gone forever, if it not for the woman’s sly smile. Ren knew she was teasing him, but at the same time would like to show that she wasn’t rattling him. But, he had enough of her childish games. Kylo Ren moved to the side, removing his face from her stare. The golden eyed woman grinned in victory, which made Ren scoff.

“So this is what you look like under this mask.” She said in delight, as she gently kicked the metal object on the floor. 

“You are not welcome here.” Ren answered, shrugging her comment. 

“If you’re not careful, someone will murder you in your sleep.” She said with a devious grin.

“I suppose it would be you.” Kylo Ren returned her grin with an unenthusiastic stare. He had always been careful during the nighttime, keeping his guard up even when he sleeps. Sometimes, he was so restless that he could not get sleep at all. The one time his guard was down, which was obviously because of a stupid dream about a scavenger, was coincidentally the same time where a possible murderer was inside his quarters. The thought of it made him irritated to the core. He hated how that junk rat made him vulnerable. 

The woman twirled her jet black hair with her fingers, and at the same time shook her head. “I have no plans of killing you.” She glided around the room. Ren watched the woman carefully. She was wearing a silver nightgown covered with a dark red robe, one which was large for her size. It would have fallen off her if she wasn’t clutching it on her chest. Unlike in the council room where Ren could only see her from afar, he was surprised that she was actually prettier up close. Her sharp golden eyes complemented her black hair and blood red lips. She looked exactly how the Jedi books described a Sith, but she was hauntingly beautiful, seductive, and tempting. 

“And you’re neither an ally.” Ren said blankly. He remembered the events that transpired inside the council room. He knew she did not kill the other council member in order to help him. Her intentions are different, and Kylo Ren could feel it in the force.

“I know you killed Snoke.” The woman stopped pacing herself across the room and sat at the edge of Kylo Ren’s bed. “And that Jedi girl helped you.” She continued, her eyes glaring at the Supreme Leader. “And yet she betrayed you…” 

The comment of betrayal did not sit well with Kylo Ren. Anger rushed to his cheeks, which soon manifested into a choke. He dove towards the golden eyed woman and squeezed her throat with his bare hands. Ren did not even bother to use the force against her; using the force was mercy. He wanted to physically feel the woman plead for her life in his hands. The woman fell on the floor, dragging Kylo Ren with her. The woman squirmed in between Kylo Ren’s thighs. He knelt before her, his hands gripping her throat tighter.

Ren did not remove his gaze on the woman as she struggled to breathe. She clawed his wrists and kicked his thighs, but the attempt to release herself from him was futile. Soon, the black haired woman looked like she just gave up on life all together, but Kylo Ren knew she didn’t.

“Are you enjoying this?” He growled at her. 

The woman could not help but giggle at the revelation. For a person who was struggling to breathe, she was showing an intense feeling of pleasure at being choked at. In pure disgust, Kylo Ren released his grip on her throat. Immediately, the woman gasped as she tried to catch her breath. A huge grin appeared on her face, which irked the Supreme Leader more. But she was not done yet. Before Ren could even move, she locked her legs around his torso and pulled him towards her using the force. Kylo Ren countered the energy pulling him down using the same force that she was using. With the help of his arms, Ren prevented himself from falling flat onto her body. The objects inside Ren’s room started to vibrate as they struggled for control over the force. 

“Look at me.” The woman whispered in his ear. The hotness of her breath sent shivers on Kylo Ren’s body. The tone of her voice was so seductive that Kylo Ren felt his control over the force falter. As consequence, his arms started to weaken as it folded into a ninety degree angle. Sweat started to trickle on his forehead as he felt the energy around her. The force felt like Snoke, but it was something more; something darker. 

“You… Snoke taught you?” He grunted.

The woman smiled at his skills with the force. “Did you seriously think you’re his only apprentice?” She said to him, her gaze searching for something… something that’s in between Kylo Ren’s legs. 

Ren followed the woman’s gaze, she was looking for something in him, and he wanted to know. Soon enough, he realized that it was a bad idea. Ren finally began to see the compromising position they were in. Her legs was barely covered with the silver nightgown she was wearing, her skin touching the sides of his stomach. What’s more is that the dark red robe which covered her was nowhere in sight. She was fully exposed underneath him. Her nightgown was barely covering the parts that needed to be covered. The sight made Ren gulp in discomfort. Beneath the mask, dark robes and his power, Kylo Ren was still a man, and the sight of her, strongly tempted him.

Kylo Ren tried his best to fight off the seduction. He tried to look elsewhere and focused on the force, but the pressure of her hips on his made it more difficult. “Look at me.” The woman grabbed his chin and forced Kylo Ren to look at her. 

“You see it don’t you?” She said, as her golden eyes landed to his black orbs. 

The young Supreme Leader finally knew what she was talking about. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he leaned closer to her. He’s seeing it; visions of him; of the Order; of the future! 

They were snippets, short and incomplete but they were solid. The vision unfolded too fast for him to grasp. Ren’s arms started to weaken, his elbows hitting the floor. “What was that?” He panted heavily, the warmth of his breath touching the woman’s neck. 

He was confused, she could tell. “It’s our future.” She whispered as she gently brushed his hair. “Supreme Leader Snoke is wise. He planned it all; and he saw it all. The fate of the First Order is in your hands.”

Her answer left Kylo Ren more confused than. “What?” He blurted in disbelief. He killed Snoke, and was already set free of his clutches, still, he continues to haunt him even after his death.

“Feel the force and you’ll understand.” She said in a soft voice while caressing his cheek. Her gestures made Kylo Ren calm down. There was something that made him trust her. Was she manipulating him like their master? He did not know. But one thing’s for sure: the dark side of the force is calling him. Like a possessive and jealous lover, it wants his attention. The feeling of intense passion creeping into his body, telling him to give in. 

Finally, he gave in.

His visions started with screeching screams, followed by thunderous applause, and then he was there, standing on a gazebo on a hill. He could not tell which planet, but most of it was red. He was wearing a crown, dark and sharp, his black robes spreading across the floor. There were sounds, buzzes and whispers; incoherent at first, but soon they became clearer. It was a name – Rin Palpatine, the force said. 

“Rin… Palpatine?” Kylo Ren repeated in shock. Then, in his vision, turned a woman. The same woman with the golden eyes. She was wearing the same long black robe, the same sly smile on her face, a golden ring on her finger, and a crown. She held his hand as they walked through the crowd, then, she leaned for a kiss which Kylo Ren reciprocated.  
“I’m here!” A voice echoed even before Ren could reach her lips. It distracted him, but not enough to pull him away from the golden eyed woman.

“Sweetheart!” Another voice called. This time, the voice made Kylo Ren look. He turned to his back to search for the voice. As soon as he searched, the scenery turned green. He was now surrounded by tall trees, and moss at his feet. “Sweetheart!” It said again. The voice was utterly familiar, Han Solo? Kylo Ren thought, but it wasn’t his father’s. It was his voice. He was calling out to someone.

“Where are you? I’m here!” It shouted back. 

Kylo Ren’s heart started to pound heavily on his chest. He desperately ran in search of the voice. For some reason, he was worried for its owner. But no matter how hard he looked, there was no one in sight. He got tired and rested his hand on a tree, panting heavily. He caught his breath and resumed his search. But his hand slid from the trunk, something slippery was on the tree. He looked and it was crimson. He checked his glove and there was blood. 

His environment now turned orange and red. Flames burned through the trees, starfighters and tie fighters falling down from the sky. He was no longer in the forest but on a battlefield. His hand held a saber. On his feet lie corpses, stormtroopers and resistance fighters alike. He ran and ran, in search for the voice, cutting down everyone on his path. Finally, he reached a dead end; the owner of the voice still nowhere in sight. He turned to look for another way, but he stopped as he recognized the corpses on the ground. It was the resistance pilot, the one that he tortured for the map. Beside him was the traitor, he got what he deserved. Kylo Ren was walking slowly now, his breathing, heavy. For some reason, his lips started to quiver. He thought of an old woman, one that he called mother, and a scavenger, one that was close to his heart. 

He walked and walked until he stepped on something. He lifted his foot to see, and knelt as soon as he recognized what it was. It was his mother’s ring; one that was given to her by his father during their wedding. He clawed it out of the soil and fearfully searched for a body – General Leia Organa was sitting lifeless, her back resting on a tree trunk.  
He knew this day would come. One way or another, Kylo Ren knew that his mother would die at the hands of the First Order. He shouldn’t feel anything about it, but there was something in his chest that tore him further apart. He kissed his mother’s forehead, and whispered an apology. Moments later, he could no longer remember why he was apologizing. His mind went blank, like he was thrown into an eternal abyss of darkness. His mother was dead, and something inside of him died with her. His heart went cold, he could not feel it beat inside his chest. There was nothing left of him.

“Ben.” The voice from earlier called him. It was weak, but clear, and it was yearning for him. A spark of hope fueled the heart in his chest. 

There is someone who’s left. 

“Please, where are you?” He pleaded, his voice trembling in fear. His knees were weak, but he found the strength in her voice. She’s the only one that is left now and he needed to find her.

Ben continued to search for the voice in the now burning forest, sweat trickling down his brow. And in the chaos of it all, he heard electricity crackling. Unwittingly, he followed its sound until it was loud enough for him to decipher its location. It was his lightsaber, he was sure of it.

“Ben.” It called. The sound came from behind a tree. A smile of relief crept on his face. He ran towards it, not minding the growing roots and corpses he might trip on. 

The voice he was looking for belonged to Rey. Of course it was her. She was his light, the one who would pull him out of all this pain and misery. 

Rey had her back on him. He called her, but she did not respond. In her hand was his saber. 

“Rey?” He asked again as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Finally, the scavenger from Jakku turned to him. To his surprise, the red lightsaber on her hand found its way to his chest. The pain made Ben fall on his knees, clutching her robe as he fell. He looked up at her in utter confusion, asking her why she stabbed him. 

Rey’s eyes were cold, colder than his. The compassion Ben once saw was now gone, and all that was left is the eyes of a person who seeks revenge. “You’re a monster.” She whispered as she plunged the saber deeper onto his chest. 

Kylo Ren rolled to the floor as his visions came to an end. He lied on his back, panting heavily, still comprehending the things that he saw. He glanced at the woman, whom he now knows as the Emperor’s granddaughter and the other apprentice of his master – Rin Palpatine. 

Rin smiled at him as soon as he glanced at her. She went close and helped him sit up. Kylo Ren was shaking uncontrollably, which made him lose his balance. Rin Palpatine caught her instantly in her arms. She placed his head on her chest and soothed him like a child. Rin brushed his hair gently with her fingers. 

The feeling of intimacy was new for Kylo Ren. He had never experienced this kind of emotion from anyone. Not from his parents, nor from his master. The closest he got with this feeling was from Rey, but she too had left him alone. Just like his parents, and everyone else, she abandoned him. 

“I’ll never leave you alone.” Rin whispered, as she continued to stroke his hair.

“I’m here.” Rin repeated. In his confusion, Kylo Ren mistook Rin as the voice in his visions. The sight of Rey as his light was leaving him, and all he could hear was Rin consoling him, comforting him. 

He craved for it, the feeling of being wanted, the feeling of being loved. That’s all he ever wanted. And he felt it in Rin, and it made him forget everything. Like an intoxicating drug injected in his veins, he got addicted. He wanted more, and Rin gave him more. 

And soon, even the person whom he connected the most, became a distant memory.


	4. Chapter 4

Canto Bight

The night was cold as always; the wind battering through the planet as if it was angry at the mountains standing in its way. The Resistance has gained progress for the past few weeks. With the help of everyone on board of the Millennium Falcon, everything was in place. There were radio towers set up on top of the mountain peaks, starfighters, gunners strategically placed on the island. Trenches have been dug, the mountains have been carved. One would even think that the base had been there for a long period of time, but it was all technology. The only problem now are the recruits. No one in the galaxy was willing to join the Resistance. 

No matter how secluded the planet was, atrocities of the Order reached them. Organized killing, slavery, taking over of democracies were just some of the things that the First Order had done under the command of Kylo Ren. Of course, the hunt for the rest of the Resistance members were more intense than ever. The money going around was so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy was looking for them. But no one was giving up hope. The tide will turn, sooner or later.  
Rey sat on her bed to read one of the jedi texts. She did not know where to begin, so Rey just opened a folded page. 

First comes the day  
Then comes the night.  
After the darkness  
Shines through the light.  
The difference, they say,   
Is only made right  
By resolving the gray   
Through refined Jedi sight.

She read the poem loudly for the first time. Rey furrowed her eyebrows as she did not understand what it said. She read the passage again, this time slowly, as if the decrease in speed would make her understand. In the short time that Luke taught her, she tried to remember if he mentioned anything about the gray in the force. But he only mentioned why the jedi needed to end, and that’s that. 

Rey pouted in disappointment. She may have stolen the jedi texts, but there was no way of understanding them without a teacher. 

“Resolving the gray,” she whispered, still contemplating on what it meant. 

“The Journal of the Whills, 7:477” A voice said.

Rey was so engrossed with thinking that she dropped the book in shock. She searched for the owner of the voice, her heart pounding fast in her chest. If there was a force connection, she would have instantly known. But there was no indication whatsoever. 

“Calm down kid, it’s just me.” He said, noticing the disturbance around Rey.

Rey looked at her back. “Luke?” She gasped at the ghostly blue image of Luke Skywalker. But soon, the surprise in her eyes disappeared, as if she knew the reason of his appearance. It made Luke smile.

“You’ve been studying.” He said as he sat on the floor. When a jedi dies, they can choose to become part of the force. That is something that you can’t learn without a teacher nor without the sacred jedi texts. And because Luke wasn’t much of a teacher to Rey, he knew that she got a hold of the books on the island.

Rey gave a slight nod. She waited for him to scold her about the stolen the jedi texts, but he didn’t. Still, Rey remained silent and picked up the small book on the floor. Luke reciprocated her silence with his own. They sat quietly in the room, until the silence became so deafening that Rey spoke.

“I should have listened to you.” She whispered. Rey tried to avoid any eye contact with the old man, embarrassed with her mistake and incompetence. 

“If you listened to me, then the Resistance would have been obliterated. You did what you thought was right.” Luke weakly smiled at her.

Rey smiled, appreciating that Luke was gentle in scolding her. But she knew that he was just being nice. “I thought Ben… Kylo, would really turn. But I was wrong. The force was wrong.” She gritted her teeth in disappointment. 

“The force is never wrong.” Luke placed his hand on Rey’s knee. “The thing about the future is that it is always uncertain. All you saw was a possibility; a future that may or may not happen. Present and past decisions can alter the future. And when my nephew decided to become Supreme Leader, the future that you saw became bleak, not entirely forgotten, but bleak.” 

“Then future that Ben saw, that I will be the one to turn, it is also a possibility?” Rey whispered, fear creeping through her body, being seduced to the dark side scared her. 

“Again, a possibility. Your decisions will determine if you want that kind of future.” Luke consoled the young jedi sitting in front of him. 

Rey heaved a heavy sigh, contemplating on what the old jedi had said. “But how do I know I’ve made the right decision?” She questioned.

“Canto Bight.” Luke smiled at her.

“Canto… that’s not an answer!” Rey protested. But Luke Skywalker had already disappeared, leaving her alone and more confused than ever.

\---ooo---

The last surviving sith lord, Rin Palpatine enjoyed the view of the violence and destruction that thrived in her home planet. Rocks melting everyday, and volcanoes spewing out lava, ash and fire, a combination which ravages whatever organisms that tried to thrive in it. 

She was born in this planet, one of her old maids told her. The death of her grandfather, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, led to the destruction of the Empire, so, the disgraced Palpatines had to escape the clutches of the Republic and settle in the Unknown Regions of the galaxy. 

‘It was Anakin Skywalker’s fault.’ Her master, Snoke told her. ‘A foolish man who got seduced to the light.’ In an attempt to save his son, Luke Skywalker, Anakin killed her grandfather.

The hate has always been brewing in the heart of Rin. The Skywalkers, she wanted to kill them all. That cursed family was the reason why her family lived in disgrace; she had to hide in this desolate planet, while they become heroes of the damn galaxy.

But her master was wise, he had plans for the Skywalker bloodline. And being an obedient apprentice, Rin swallowed all the hate, and waited for the right opportunity to strike.  
Rin carefully watched the heir to the Skywalker bloodline sleeping peacefully on her chest. If she could have it her way, she would have slit Kylo Ren’s throat the minute his guard was down. Then, she would find his mother, Leia Organa, and blow her out of the sky. Lastly, she will find his uncle, Luke Skywalker and make him die a slow and painful death.  
But instead, she’s lying beside Kylo, cuddling him like a child. Rin Palpatine grinned as she carefully brushed his hair. Master Snoke warned her that he would be difficult. But her master was wrong, he wasn’t difficult at all. Thanks to the jedi girl, Kylo Ren was so broken inside, that even the slightest amount of affection brought him to her. Until she gets what she needed, she has to pretend that she cares for him; give him the comfort and attention that he craved so much. And at the end of it all, his life would end with another betrayal, and there will be nothing left of him that he would wish for death.

Rin felt Kylo move. He huddled beside her, as if searching for warmth. Subconsciously, Rin placed her arms around him to give the bodily heat he was looking for. The young Palpatine cussed under her breath, surprised by her own gesture. She didn’t need to care for him, but why does she reciprocate to his needs?   
If he wasn’t a Skywalker, he would have been a perfect sith lord: aggressive, angry, powerful with the force, passionate, and… insanely attractive. Rin bit her lip, this wasn’t part of her master’s plan. She wasn’t supposed to be attracted to him. 

Against her better judgment, Rin slowly traced Kylo Ren’s features. She started with his eyebrows, moving carefully towards his nose, then towards his lips. She wondered how they felt, pressed against hers. Rin moved closer, giving in to her curiosity, but he woke up.

“Hey...” Rin smiled at him, not minding the missed opportunity.

Kylo Ren turned instantly red when he realized that he had slept beside her. “How long was I asleep?” He said, trying to hide his blushing face.

Rin merely shrugged. “I guess being the Supreme Leader is tiring.” She looked at him and brushed his cheek. Kylo winced as soon as her hand reached his face. His reaction made Rin laugh. 

“You should get used to this.” She chuckled as she tried to touch him again. “We’ll be doing this for a very, very long time.” 

Kylo stayed silent. Everything was still too good to be true. He wondered if he deserved such affection, with everything he experienced, he was skeptical. But he trusted his vision. Rin Palpatine will remain on his side, and will never abandon him.

“Getting used to this, I’d like that.” He finally whispered.

Not for long, someone came knocking at his door. Kylo Ren stood from the bed and opened the door. 

“Sir, the Millennium Falcon has been spotted in Canto Bight.” A stormtrooper reported to him.

The Supreme Leader merely nodded as he closed the door. He then watched the golden eyed woman stand and went closer to him. 

“Duty calls.” She whispered to him.

Kylo stared at her with puppy dog eyes. It was obvious that he did not want to leave her, but Rin Palpatine’s eyes were full of resolve. She didn’t need to say anything, Kylo Ren knew what he needed to do.

“The Resistance and the jedi girl, kill them all.” She hissed.

“I will.” He said obediently. 

Rin gave him a parting kiss on the forehead. Her golden eyes glowing in victory. She had Kylo Ren at the palm of her hands; a large step for complete domination of the galaxy.

\---ooo---

Rey scratched her stomach for the hundredth time. The uncontrollable itch came from the fabric of the dress she had been wearing. While Poe and Finn said that she was stunning in it, Rey felt so uncomfortable at how tight and silky the dress was. 

C-P30 mentioned that the dress belonged to General Organa when she was young, which led to Rey asking the droid if dresses were a normal ensemble for women of the galaxy since no woman from the Resistance wore this kind of outfit. 

She had difficulty breathing in them; it was too tight on the stomach and too loose on the legs. Not to mention, the hem on her neck was so low, exposing a large part of her sternum. Rey was sure that if the wind blew strongly, everything underneath her would be exposed. But C-P30 said that Leia was a princess and that’s how they dress. And that Rey looked beautiful in it, just like a real princess. 

Rey’s eyebrows furrowed, perplexed at what the droid said. She’s a scavenger, not a princess. Her fate had already been sealed ever since she was born and was left alone in the sandy plains of Jakku. No matter how beautifully she adorn herself, she will always be a filthy junk rat. She will always be nothing.

The crazy idea of disguising themselves as rich folks came from Rose. When she heard that they’ll be going back to Canto Bight, she immediately narrated her elaborate her plan to blend in with the elite. It was easy. Rey was their rich master, and the rest of the Resistance members will be her entourage. The idea would have been great, except that Rey had no idea how to act rich.

Pretending to be part of the elite was more difficult than Rey ever imagined. The slightest mistakes made C-P30 scold her countless of times. Aside from the proper stance, and movement, Rey couldn’t help but scratch her parts of her body where the silk touched. Soon, the droid had given up hope in teaching her. The old general chuckled as Rey apologized to the droid. Leia was gentler in teaching her, reminding her that it didn’t take much to act like a princess.

“Just act cocky.” Leia Organa grinned at her. 

The advice made Rey raise her eyebrows, but she had a point. Rey tried to act like a privileged jerk, and the droid was more or less satisfied with her actions. She smiled at Leia and thanked her for the advice.

“Were you really a princess?” Rey whispered to the General.

Leia merely laughed. “It was a long time ago, honey. I’ll tell you more about it when you return.” She answered. Rey became more enthusiastic with the whole acting gig, hoping that their mission in the casino planet would end so that she could hear Leia’s stories. 

Soon, the Resistance boarded the Falcon and landed on the shores of Canto Bight.

Truth be told, nobody, not even Rey, knew what to expect on the planet. Aside from Luke’s vague message, they got nothing. But Leia trusted her brother, and knew that going there would help them with the war.

Rey, Finn, Rose and Poe entered the casino. They waited to be recognized, but nobody cared. All the people saw was another rich girl and her entourage wanting to have fun. 

The group treaded across the hall. The casino had already been repaired, and its customers have never looked happier in wasting their gambling money. Moments later, the casino started to shake, the drinks and chips vibrating on the tables. 

Rose frowned as she knew what the vibrations meant. Along with everyone else, Rose led them towards the balcony to confirm her hunches. Fathier races were back, and Rose could not help but be disappointed at the scene in front of them. It was like all their efforts were put to naught, and Finn saw the sadness in her eyes. 

Finn gave a comforting nudge to the mechanic. “We’ll free them again.” He said.

Rose nodded at him, hopeful that the Resistance shall triumph.

While the others were looking over the fathier gallop on the racetrack, Rey felt something familiar. She felt it in her veins, there was another force sensitive in their midst. She searched for it, but she knew her five senses were useless to find one just like her. Instead, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the force. Finally, she saw him. 

There was a child on the racetrack, a broom on his hand. He was peacefully sweeping its sides when his master, for one reason or another, pulled his whip and lashed it on his back. As the ropes hit the brown haired kid, Rey felt the force warp around him. He was angry and hurt, she thought. 

“We have to get down there.” She said to her companions. “I feel it.” She declared, “That kid with the broom, he’s like me. Luke wanted us to find him.”

Without further instructions from Rey, the four of them immediately left the casino and went towards the racetrack. But before they could even reach its entrance, Poe ordered them to halt.

“What is it?” Rose whispered.

Poe did not say anything but pointed his lips at the center of the track. Stormtroopers have swarmed the open race track, rounding up everyone they can get their hands on.

“Shit.” Finn hissed under his breath. There were at least a dozen stormtroopers on the now empty field. The fathiers have been recalled to the stables, and was being replaced by a line of people being dragged by the stormtroopers one by one.

“I don’t see the kid.” Poe whispered to Rey.

“And I don’t see Rey.” Rose replied to their commander.

\--ooo--

Rey ran as fast as she could, almost tripping on her floor length dress. She hid on one of the houses as stormtroopers marched towards her way.

Kylo Ren is here, she feels him in her bones. She must find the kid before he does, and she’s running out of time. 

Rey followed the force. She was getting closer, she knew it. But the road was getting harder and harder. Groups of troopers flooded her way, and she had no choice but to change her direction. 

Soon, she found herself in the stables where the fathiers were kept. Rey tiptoed quietly and tried not to alert the animals, but her efforts were futile. One of the creatures neighed hard as soon as she passed by it. Rey tried to calm the animal down, but it won’t budge. Moments later, she heard men marching towards the stables. In her panic, Rey went under the stable door and tried to fit herself where the fathier was kept. 

The animal neighed louder at the intruder. Rey kept shhhing the creature, but her actions made it worse. The footsteps grew louder and louder, Rey took out the blaster strapped on her thigh and pointed it at the gate of the stable. Sweat began to trickle down her forehead, and her heart began to beat faster as she saw several white armored feet at the stable.

“Shhh.” Rey heard a voice calming the animal down. She glanced behind the fathier’s hoof, and saw the force sensitive child stroking the leg of the creature.

Rey, along with the fathier kept quiet as the stormtroopers passed by the stable. When the coast was clear, she let out a loud sigh and crawled towards the child.

“Luke Skywalker told me a princess would come for me.” He child said, surprising Rey.

“I am no princess.” Rey grinned to herself, Luke was really something. He even knew that she would dress up like a princess. 

“Well, you look like one to me.” The boy said, pointing at her now muddy dress.

“What’s your name?” Rey smiled at the child. 

“Temiri Blagg.” The kid grinned at his new found friend.

\--oo--

Kylo Ren stormed down the shores of the casino planet, the esteemed Knights of Ren followed closely behind their master. 

Seeing one Knight was unusual enough, but when one does visit a place, it only meant one thing – death. Their masked faces and black robes were so associated with death and destruction, that they have been infamously called the grim reapers of the galaxy. 

But there has never been an event where the Knights and their master were in one place at the same time – until today. And the sight of the six galaxy grim reapers, and their master, the jedi killer, scared the shit out of everyone in the planet. 

As soon as Kylo’s boots touched the sand, he already knew that the scavenger from Jakku was on the planet. But there was someone else he felt, another force sensitive.  
“The jedi girl is mine. Find the other one, and bring him to me.” He ordered his Knights. 

Except for Anita Ren, the Knights left to find the force sensitive being. Anita wasn’t much of a hunter, rather, she was Kylo Ren’s most efficient executioner. She can no longer count the number of bodies she cut down in order to please her master; and when stormtroopers search houses and drag its residents out in the open, she knew that it was her job to kill them all. Kylo didn’t even need to say anything, she knew what needed to be done. So, Anita Ren disappeared from her master’s sight, and moved towards the fathiers’ racetrack to do her duties.

“Shit, there’s so many of them!” Finn hissed as they cowered under the bleachers. The white armored soldiers were and easy target as they were exposed in the open. The problem was, there were only three of them, and the area to be covered was large. As soon as one of them would start shooting, the blaster fire can be easily traced and that would be the end of them.

Poe thought hard for a proper strategy. They can split up, cover as much ground as possible. For it to be effective, each man should at least shoot four stormtroopers without missing a shot. But that’s not their only problem, the hostages may be caught in the crossfire. They may be precise in shooting the enemy, but they can’t say the same thing with the troopers. Most of them would not care about any civilian getting caught with the artillery fire.

General Dameron cussed under his breath. If only he’d been the same trigger happy man that he used to be, he would have stormed the damn field like he was indestructible. But he had men under his command now, and their safety was his priority. He has to think this through, otherwise, they may all end up dying in this planet.

Rose peeked through the bleachers to observe what was happening on the field. She then began to shake the two men beside her. “Those are children!” She said in sheer panic when she saw that more than half of the Order’s prisoners were teenagers and children.

“We need to do something!” Rose whispered in a high pitched tone. 

“Okay, okay!” Poe finally said. “This is a rescue mission, you two, free as many prisoners as you can, leave the troopers to me.” 

It was a desperate plan, a suicide mission; the probability of success was way below average, but they have to do something. The three prepared for the assault, but problems just kept appearing before them.

“What the hell?” Rose squinted her eyes as she saw a familiar image marching its way through the open field. “Is that Kylo Ren?” She hissed.

“No.” Finned shuddered under his breath, as he identified the person under the mask. “That’s Kylo Ren’s personal killing machine.” 

“Killing machine?” Rose repeated as she gulped in fear.

“If that Knight is here, then these people will surely die!” Finn said in panic.

Despite the ongoing exposition made by Finn and Rose, Poe stared at the field, concentrating on where he would shoot first. His plan did not change in spite of the appearance of another person in a mask. 

This was not his first time to encounter a Knight of Ren. Heck, he was captured and tortured by Kylo Ren himself, so he was not afraid of them. Underneath those masks, they were just human beings; capable of being hurt and even dying. 

“Save them.” A voice of a woman whispered in Poe Dameron’s head, breaking his concentration.

“Did you say something?” He turned to Rose, surprised.

“Huh? No.” The Resistance mechanic answered with the same level of shock as his.

Poe’s face crumpled in confusion. He was sure that someone was talking to him. He peeked from behind the bleachers, and immediately went back into hiding. It saw me, he thought. 

The person, clad in black, met Poe’s eye. It had been staring in the bleachers for the longest time now. It knew that they were hiding behind the metallic benches of the track.   
Poe’s heart began to race. He waited for the Knight to move, or order its troopers to capture them. But it did nothing. “Save them.” It called again, her voice, now clearer than ever.   
This time, Poe courageously exposed his face to look at the masked figure. Rose and Finn, seeing their general’s careless movement, tried pulling him down but he wouldn’t allow it.

“She wants us to save the children.” He said. Surely, Poe was talking to his companions, but the person in the mask nodded slowly, as if it heard his whisper.

Poe was more than a hundred percent sure that it was the Knight of Ren who was speaking to him. The reason for the sudden turn of events were still lost to Poe, but his priorities were the prisoners. 

“We have to move now.” Poe ordered his subordinates.

“What about the Knight?” Finn said as he removed the safety of his blaster.

“Something tells me she’s the least of our problems.” Their commander grinned as he started to move.

“Wait, how’d you know she’s a she?” Rose mumbled in confusion and readied to follow Poe.

Poe shrugged at his female companion, “I just know.” He said as he shot the first trooper that he saw.

True enough, the Knight did nothing. She stood there, immobile, while the Resistance members blasted through every stormtrooper that came to their way. They shot, ran, and ducked against blaster fires. Despite the lack of cover on the open field, nobody on their side was shot. It was almost a fucking miracle. 

But it wasn’t a miracle. While Anita Ren stood her ground, her mind was busy doing something else. She manipulated the stormtroopers, telling them to miss the Resistance fighters. 

Soon, Finn and Rose reached the prisoners, untying them one by one.

“Do you know how to use a blaster?” Finn said as he cut loose the ropes that tied one of the teenage prisoners.

The young man nodded, which made Finn grin. The ex-stormtrooper gave his blaster to the teen and took another from his back. Soon, more hands fired against the enemy and the Resistance finally had the upper hand. Still, the number of stormtroopers did not decrease.

“Too slow.” A voice reverberated on Poe’s head.

The commander ducked and made a sudden stop of his movements. The Knight was talking to him mid fight, and it broke his momentum. 

Poe scoffed to himself. She was cocky, just like him before he made General. It amused him for a bit, but at the same time irritated him. “I’d like to see you try.” He hissed under his breath. If it is a word war she wants, then Poe was more than happy to oblige.

Anita did not reply on his provocation, which made Poe grin. “How can you even talk to me?” He said, as he fired at a stormtrooper.

“Kylo Ren.” She replied. 

Her answer confused the Resistance fighter. What does Kylo Ren have to do with this? He thought.

“When he tortured you, you were exposed to the force, which made you more susceptible to it.” She calmly explained, as if she read his thoughts.

“So, I’m like an open radio force channel?” Poe understood what was going on in his head, but now really isn’t the time to strike a conversation with the enemy. 

“Get them to the Falcon!” He ordered his subordinates, closing the ‘radio channel’ between him and the Knight.

Now, the Resistance was on retreat. They have freed everyone, and it’s becoming more difficult to cover every single running person on the field. 

Rose led the escaped prisoners while Finn and Poe remained to cover them. Soon, Finn started running too, while occasionally facing the enemy to fire at them. Poe followed suit.

“Request for back-up in ---” The stormtrooper choked. Anita Ren finally was on the move. Additional troops would expose her treasonous acts. But that wasn’t her only problem. Using the force in a place where there are many force sensitive beings would mean that a slight distortion in it would be easily felt. A force choke, mind manipulation can and will be felt by her master. If she wanted to survive after this, she has to use the force in its minimum.  
Her indecisiveness came to an end when one of the young prisoners were gunned down by one of the soldiers. She had been controlling the troopers, but her concentration slipped as she got distract at the thought of the consequences of her acts. 

The child fell down in front of Poe Dameron, who immediately ran towards its body. “No!” He screamed. The blaster fire had made a hole on the child’s chest. There was no way his small body would have survived it. 

“No!” The young general grit his teeth, anger welling up his heart. He whimpered as he cradled the boy on his arms, his back towards enemy fire. 

“Poe!” Finn roared as he warned his friend at a trooper aiming for his back. 

Hollowed by grief for the dead child, Poe’s reflexes became slow. By the time he took his blaster to shoot at the trooper, the latter had already fired his weapon. Already a second too late, Poe Dameron closed his eyes as he knew his death was imminent. But there was no pain in his body, only the sound of the blaster laser crackling near him.

The general’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the red laser stop inches near his face. He already saw this move before from Kylo Ren. And there was only one person in this open field who had the same abilities as the new Supreme Leader.

Poe looked to his side as he saw black boots approach him. Anita Ren, who, for the longest time was not doing anything strode towards him. She knelt beside him and stroked the dead child’s hair.

The field was now silent; no blaster fire, no marching stormtroopers. Noting. It took a minute for Poe to realize the sudden quietness of the battlefield. He looked around, and all the stormtroopers lay lifeless on the ground.

When did she kill them all? He thought, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

“Leave.” She hissed, the apparatus on her face masking the real sound of her voice. She stood up and marched away from the Resistance fighter.

Poe still could not believe at what he’s seeing. He did remember that she was Kylo Ren’s killing machine, but still, to kill at least six remaining troopers in a short amount of time was insanely impossible.

“Wait!” He called for her. “Come with us.” Poe tried to convince her.

Anita Ren scoffed at Resistance fighter’s offer and continued to walk away from the field.

“This is treason, they will kill you!” Poe said in desperation as he ran towards her and grabbed her by the arm.

The sudden invasion of her personal space made the Knight growl in anger. With her free hand, she force choked the Resistance fighter and threw him on the ground, before finally leaving the fields to find her master.

\--oo--

Rey and Temiri ran as fast as they could. Since Temiri was a local of the casino city, they easily maneuvered through the secret passages all the way to the forest where the Falcon was situated. They passed through the trees, dodging branches that blocked their way.

It would have been an easy escape except that they were hindered by blaster fire. The two of them ducked and his among the trees. Rey took out her own blaster and searched for the person who fired it. But the forest was too dark, she couldn’t see anything. When Rey thought that the coast was clear, they began to run again. 

Moments later, another shot of red laser blasted through the trees, thankfully missing Rey’s head. She looked back and finally saw an image of a man. He was big, and fat, almost as if he could not run with the weight of his body.

“The Falcon’s that way.” Rey pointed straight ahead. “I’ll distract him. You have to get to the Falcon.”

Temiri’s eyes were wary about her plan to separate, but he trusted her instincts and made a run for it. As soon as Temiri’s back could not be seen behind the trees, Rey proceeded to run towards the other direction. 

True to her hunches, whoever’s following them was after her. Ducking and avoiding blaster fire, Rey sprinted to escape. Soon, her feet brought her to an open field, where the trees ended and grass tickled her legs. She panted hard, but not stopping in her tracks. 

Rey searched for a place to hide, but in this open field, there was no cover whatsoever. She thought of returning to the forest, at least stay hidden behind the trees until the man disappears. But the idea turned to naught as blaster fire flew from the forest.

Rey screamed in pain as she stumbled on the grassy plains of the planet. The red laser hitting her leg, blood now seeping through her white dress. She winced through the pain, shooting at the unseen enemy. 

Using all her energy, she stood up and tried to run. Rey limped forward, shooting her own blaster in the forest. Sweat trickled down her forehead, while her hair fell down her shoulders as her princess bun loosened. Soon, she made a sudden stop and bit her lip. The grassy plains ended, and all she could see were rocks of the cliff she’s now standing on.

“Dead end?” The man following her said.

Rey turned towards the man. The moonlight finally made her see who was after her. He was indeed wider in size than a regular man. On his back was an apparatus, like a jet pack, which made him move faster despite his weight. From the looks of it, he wasn’t a stormtrooper, nor a part of the order. 

“This is my lucky day!” He laughed out loud.

Rey tried to move, but the fat man pointed his blaster right on her chest and ordered her to drop her blaster. She did what she was told and raised her hands to surrender.

“Out of all the Resistance fighters, you had the biggest bounty on your head.” He grinned at her as he moved closer. 

“Thrice than regular traitors, the jedi killer wants you bad.” He signaled Rey to move. 

Rey followed obediently, but her eyes searched for something, a branch or a rock, anything that can be used as a weapon. However, there was nothing but grass. If only she had her lightsaber… 

Rey limped as the man poked his blaster at her back and ordered her to continue walking. He had been whistling happily at his new captured bounty. Rey knew he had been underestimating her; maybe because she’s a girl. 

Soon, the young jedi took advantage of the situation. Immediately, she ducked and pushed the fat man away. But before she could run, the man grabbed her hair and pulled her towards the ground. He was now on top of her, his blaster pointed at Rey’s face. 

Rey grabbed the blaster and struggled to shove its barrel away from her face. She grunted hard, moving her head to the side as the fat man pulled the trigger. Soil flew on her face as the blaster fire dug through the land. She kicked the man on the crotch, finally unbalancing him. 

They rolled towards the cliff, Rey still kicking to get free. Finally, her hands got hold of a large rock. She hammered it through the jetpack behind the man’s back, breaking it. The apparatus malfunctioned in the worst way. It turned itself on, the jet propulsion sent the man flying towards the edge of the cliff. Rey tried to run, but she stumbled as her leg throbbed in pain. Soon, Rey was being dragged along with the man, using her to keep himself grounded. She held tight on anything to keep her body on the soil. With her free foot, she kicked the man’s face, but he wouldn’t budge. 

Rey’s hands started to falter, her grip on the grass slipping. Slowly, she reached the ends of the cliff. She struggled not to fall, but her hands failed her. 

Rey screamed in terror as she almost fell to the sea shore below her. She was hanging on the cliff, panting hard and concentrating on her hands as it desperately clutched the rocks that separated her from instant death. She looked below, and the fat man, now without the jetpack was clutching her ankle.

“Get off me!” She roared as she tried to kick him again. But the man, with all of his survival instincts gripped her foot harder.

Sweat covered her palms and her grip started to weaken. Rey struggled to get a proper footing, but her weight and the bounty hunter’s weight made her hands slip. She gritted her teeth for one final pull, but they were too heavy. During her struggle, she tried using the force. But she was panicking so hard that her concentration broke the minute she tried to connect to it. 

Now, the strength in her hands started disappearing. One by one, her fingertips slipped through the rocks. In one last attempt to connect with the force, she closed her eyes. 

“Help me.” She called out to the force, praying that Ben Solo would hear her. 

There was no reason for Ben, now Kylo Ren, to save her. They were sworn enemies now, him being the leader of the First Order and her being a member of the Resistance. In addition, he was angry at her and she was angry with him. He asked her to rule the galaxy with him, and she rejected him. And Rey, in all her anger, shut him out in Crait. But it was a risk she was willing to take. 

Rey gasped as her hands got separated through the rocks. She closed her eyes, and hoped that he was listening. Soon, she started free falling towards the ground. 

Of course, he wasn’t listening. She told herself. But she stopped falling, a hand gripping her arm; followed by a cracking sound of bone separating from its joint.

Rey opened her eyes in shock. She looked up at Kylo Ren, who was grunting in pain as his shoulders, now dislocated, could not handle the weight of two persons. He had been panting hard through the pain, his breath muffled under his headgear. Sweat filled his head, and his mask was not in any way helpful with seeing the person he was trying to rescue. So with his free hand, Kylo tore his helmet from his face. The metallic object bounced off the cliff, making a distinct sound as it hit the beach. 

The familiar face of Ben Solo calmed the young jedi for a bit. With her other hand, Rey reached for Ben’s arm, but the additional weight felt like it will tear Kylo’s shoulder apart and immediately, Rey dropped the idea. 

“Please, don’t let go!” Rey pleaded instead, as her body dangled on.

“Never.” Ren uttered with pure determination. 

“I won’t let you go.” He mumbled.

Sensing his assurance, Rey glared at the bounty hunter who was still gripping her ankles. He screamed, pleading that Kylo saves him too. He dug his nails on Rey’s leg, which made her shout in pain. 

The sight did not please the Supreme Leader in any way. Using his free hand, he started to force choke the fat guy, wanting to kill him before he drags Rey with him to his death.   
But the force choke was a bad idea. Instead of letting go, the man became heavier, making Rey’s arm slowly slip through Kylo’s hands. 

“Ben!” Rey whispered as she noticed her arm slide. But Ben was not responding to her, his eyes were filled with rage and hate. He continued to choke the man, not stopping until he squeezed the life out of his fat heavy body. Kylo Ren was too angry to notice his surroundings, focusing on the man who hurt Rey. He did not hear anything, not even the numerous pleads of the Rey who was trying to stop him. 

“Ben!” Rey wailed as finally, her arm slipped from Kylo’s grip. It was in that moment when he finally noticed that he was too preoccupied with his anger that he lost sight of the most important thing – saving Rey.

Along with the fat bounty hunter, Rey screamed as she started free falling for the second time towards the beach. 

“Rey!” Ben Solo roared in desperation. And just like when he stopped a blaster fire midflight, he used the force to stop Rey from further falling to the cliff. He was successful, to say the least. Rey floated in the air, huffing for air and heart pounding heavily on her chest. 

Kylo Ren, using the same rage and anger, tried to pull the jedi to safety. But nothing happened. He tried again, properly channeling his anger through the force, but still, Rey hovered through the cliff walls. The ineffectiveness of his technique confused Kylo Ren. Why wasn’t he pulling her up? 

The dark side was never used to save people, he remembered what his uncle told him. Its users maneuvered through the evil side of the force for the purpose of death and destruction. And Ben, during this moment, was not trying to kill or destroy, he was trying to save. 

He closed his eyes and dug deep in his mind. He tried to find a light, if there was anything left of it. 

It was hard. All his life he was covered in darkness, from his parents to Snoke and up until Rey closed her doors in Crait, but there was something, a flicker of light, somewhere in his heart. 

Slowly, Ben opened his eyes and looked at the Rey, whose eyes stared back at him, frightened and on the verge of tears. He breathed through his mouth and concentrated. He sensed a feeling, one that he almost forgot – something he felt only for Rey. 

‘You have compassion for her!’ He remembered Snoke scolding him. 

And in that moment, Ben finally admitted to himself that he does feel compassion for the jedi girl. For months on he had been in denial; hiding his feelings through his own rage and anger. A dark user cannot have compassion for anyone, that’s why he killed his father. 

Ben grunted as he concentrated on the force. The new emotion growing in his heart became his strength to pull Rey up. Finally, she was able to reach for his outstretched hand and grasped it tightly. Ben began to lift her, not minding the pain of his dislocated shoulder. With his other hand, he grabbed her waist and dragged Rey away from the cliff, finally, to safety.

Ben panted hard as their struggle finally came to an end. He sat on his butt, while Rey whimpered on his chest, hiding her face on his robe. Like a scared little animal, Ben felt that she had been shaking uncontrollably. He took his cape and draped it on her, and subconsciously he wrapped his arms around her terrified body.

“You came.” She said as tears began falling from her eyes. 

Ben stayed silent and kept his thoughts to himself. At first he didn’t even know why he came. He heard her through the force asking for help. He could have left her to die on that cliff, but a voice in his head pounded on telling him to save her. Now he knows what it is: it was his compassion for her.

“I was so afraid.” She kept mumbling, pouring out her emotions to the man clad in black.

“I know…” He said, consoling her. “I’m here now. No one’s going to hurt you anymore.” 

Ben words surprised Rey. She did not expect such affection to come out of his mouth. Slowly, Rey glanced up to see his face. He was looking from a far, but his eyes moved to meet hers. His eyes were gentle towards her, comforting and caring. Even though Ben remained silent after his reply, Rey knew that he was telling the truth. She wrapped her arms around him, believing his words. She knew that when he’s near him, no one’s ever going to hurt her.

Ben never tried to stare longer than he should. While everything about her was disaster because of the debacle, Ben could not help but notice that she was too beautiful for words. Her loose curls were a mess as it cascaded on her shoulders. The white dress she had been wearing was all muddy and bloody on its hem. Rey looked tired, as the bags under her eyes began to show, but still, in Ben’s eyes, she was too beautiful that it almost hurt. 

The wind blew quietly on top of the cliff. Everything was silent. Rey thought of the future that she saw when they touched hands on the jedi island. His future to the light was bleak, but not forgotten. She wanted to try and convince him again.

“Ben, come with us to the Resistance.” She whispered. 

The tranquility of the evening soon came to an end. Rey felt chaos in the force, and it was coming from the man she held tightly. There was something in Rey’s words that brought a sharp pang on Ben’s heart. She was still holding on to the past. 

The compassion that flickered on Ben reverted back to anger and pain. When he saved her from the cliff, Ben, just like in the Supremacy, was ready to renounce the First Order. He was the goddamn Supreme Leader, the most powerful man in the galaxy, yet he was willing to leave everything behind and put her first. But because of what she said, Ben knew that in Rey’s heart, he will never be a priority. Her attachment with the Resistance will never disappear. She found her family, and there will never be a place for him there. And no matter how many times he reaches out to her, Rey will always choose somebody else over him. He he will always be alone.

Kylo Ren gently pulled Rey away from him and stood up. His eyes became cold, shrouded by anger of his mistake in expecting that Rey has changed. 

“You should leave.” He said with full authority, almost sounding like he was saying it to the enemy.

“Ben?” Rey was still on the grass, clutching his black cape on her chest. The gentleness in his eyes disappeared. Her hair blew with the wind, and the tears forming in her eyes glistened in the moonlight. Rey was no longer talking to Ben Solo, but to Kylo Ren. 

She was about to cry again, a sight which Kylo Ren never wanted to see. So he turned to walk towards the other direction, knowing that her precious Resistance will soon find her.  
“Ben, wait!” She cried. Despite the pain of a bleeding leg, Rey stood up and attempted to run towards him. She wants him back to the light, whatever it takes. 

Rey haven’t moved in meters before her leg failed her, she stumbled down, almost face first, but the Supreme Leader caught her with his arms.

She thanked him for saving her again. But the Supreme Leader was emotionless, looking at the moonlight and avoiding eye contact at all costs. Kylo Ren took her in his arms and carried her like a princess. He then sat her back down on the grassy plains of the casino planet and examined the wound on her feet.

Both kept silent. Rey wanted to say something but held her tongue, thinking that it might anger the man in front of her. Kylo on the other hand, was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to talk. 

He was the most powerful man in the galaxy, yet he felt so pathetic. He despised the fact that he cares for her too much, saving her whenever she’s in distress, coming back to her whenever she needs him.

Rey winced in pain as Kylo moved her leg. The wound was deep, almost tearing of her muscles. She needed to be taken to a medical bay to avoid further damage. But her wound was still bleeding profusely, damping the dress she wore. Kylo cussed under his breath as he took out a neatly folded cloth from his pocket. He wrapped it tightly on her injured leg, creating a make-shift tourniquet just to stop the bleeding. When the task was finished, he proceeded to leave her again.

“Ben!” Rey called him, the frustration welling up her chest. The paradox of him saving her life, then refusing to turn to the light was confusing her. If Ben was really lost to the dark side, he should have left her to die on that cliff. 

“I don’t understand!” She gritted her teeth.

“The only thing you need to understand is you are my enemy.” Kylo Ren hissed, matching the tone of her own frustrated voice.

“Then why did you save me?” She roared angrily, eyes brimming with tears; her heart burning with questions that needed to be answered. 

Because I love you. He whispered to himself before he disappeared into the forest.


End file.
